Tuesday, 31 March 2026

 Matt FREGON (Ashwood) (19:03): (1610) My adjournment matter this evening is for the Minister for Skills and TAFE in the other place, and the action I seek is that the minister update the house on how the government is acting to enhance Victorian university governance. I recently received some correspondence from a constituent named Thomas. Thomas is studying law at Monash University, just down the road, and recently commenced his second year. Thomas, like many of his peers, was shocked to be told last October by the university that tutorials would be discontinued for all but first-year students. I understand this decision was made without any prior consultation with students or the Monash Law Students’ Society, and Thomas has conveyed to us his fears about the impact this will have on his future as a lawyer. The students are missing out on essential collaborative work, discussions of learnings and practical analytical skills that are fundamental to the legal profession. I thank Thomas for reaching out with his cohort. Apparently, I have heard, Monash did not stop the tutorials for the medical students. Obviously our doctors are very important; they are trained just like our lawyers and other people. So you wonder whether Monash are thinking to themselves, ‘Oh, we better not do it for medicine, because that might have other effects.’ But I would put it to Monash to consider, on stopping tutorials for legal students, whether they have thought of any other effects that might have. Our lawyers are accredited; they need to do proper work. And as much as sometimes they have a bad rap, we need our lawyers to be skilled and excellent.

I believe a committee of the house is currently conducting an inquiry into enhancing Victorian university governance, including through elevating student voice at the higher level – and a shout-out to the National Tertiary Education Union, who are doing some good work in this area as well. Removing tutorials without consultation is the kind of action I would hope would not happen when student voice is elevated at universities. I look forward to the minister’s response.